Ettel-begtolatrng system



R. H. IRVING.

FUEL REGULATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 1920.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS SHEET l.

R. H. IRVING.

FUEL REGULATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 1920.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

- 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H. IRVING, 0F GRAMERCY, LOUISIANA.

FUEL-REGULATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

Application flledOctober 8, 1920. Serial No. 415,624.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT H. IRVING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gramercy in the parish of St. James and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FuehRegulating Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of a simple and efiicient apparatus whereby the draft through a steam boiler furnace will be automatically controlled and at all times be determined by and in proportion to the steam pressure. The invention is designed particularly for use in connection with furnaces burning liquid or gaseous fuel and provides means whereby the supply of the fluid fuel and the steam for atomizing the same will be automatically regulated accordingly as the steam pressure rises or falls. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a conventional elevation of an apparatus embodying my present improvements;

Big. 2 is a detail sectional elevation of the valve for controlling the flow of the steam or of the fuel to the burners;

Fig. 3 is a detail section through the valve employed to regulate the flow of fuel immediately adjacent the burner and also to control the flow ofsteam to the pump when the pump is working at its maximum capacity.

Fig. 4 is a detail end elevation showing the manner in which the fuel supply pipe is connected with the pump.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates a furnace which is constructed to burn fluid fuel and which may be one of a gang of furnaces as will be readily understood. 2 designates the trunk steam line leading from the steam dome of the furnace to the several points of use and 3 indicates a smoke flue rising from the furnace and communicating with a trunk smoke conduit l. Within the flue 3, I provide a damper 5 which may conveniently be a 1 sheet metal plate approximately equal in length to the width of the said flue and provided at its ends with trunnions journaled in the sides of the flue. One of the trunnions is equipped with extensions carrying a counterweight 6 and a chain 7, the

latter depending from the extension to a point where it may be readily grasped by the attendant. The damper 5 is to be set in accordance with tests made upon the particular furnace to which it is applied so that the active opening through the flue 3 will be proportionate to the maximum draft required for the successful operation of the furnace. lVithin the smoke conduit 4, I mount a damper 8 which may also be a sheet metal plate of proper dimensions provided at its ends with trunnions journaled in the sides of the conduit. As shown clearly in Fig. 1, one of the trunnions has secured thereto a crank or lever arm 9 upon which is suspended a counterweight 10 and to which is attached a chain 11 rising from the arm and passing around guide pulleys 12 to a coupling head 13. From the coupling head .13, achain 14 is extended to a damper regulator 15 which is illustrated conventionally inasmuch as the details of its construction constitute no part of my present invention and it may be of any well-known type, a pipe 16 connecting the said damper regulator with the trunk steam line 2, as shown. When the steam pressure has been raised to the desired point the damper regulator 15 is so set that the damper 8'will he closed, which is the position illustrated in Fig. 1, and as the steam pressure falls the coupling head 13 is permitted to descend and pull upon the chain 11 in opposition to the counterweight 10 so that the damper will be opened. This operation is the same as that of various types of damper regulators now on the market and will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. In carrying out my invention, I provide an indicator board 16 at any convenient point within the furnace room and mounted to play over the said board is an indicator arm 17 which. is fulcrumed in any convenient line '2 and supplies the steam through a 7 the branches 25 thereof to the burners, as

1 valves, indicated at 27.

will be readily understood. The branches 25are equippedwith cut-off valves 26 art jacent the burners and between the said cutofflvalves and the burners I provide firing One of the firing valves is illustrated in detail in Fig. 3 and ple.

as shown in said figure, comprises a casing 28 provided with nipple 29 and 30 for connection with the adjacent portions of the branch 25, the nipple 29 being the inlet nip- The casing 28 is constructed with a tapered bore disposed at a right angle to the passage .provided'through the nipples 29 and 30 and at diametrically opposite points of the said bore and in axial aline ment with the bores of the nipples 29 and 30 I provide the inlet port 31 and the outlet port 32. The inlet port 31 is preferably circular of such a diameter as to accommo-' date the maximum fuel requirements, while the outlet port32 is enlarged and expanded laterally so that it presents an elliptical passage for the fuel. Within the casing 28 is mounted a turning plug 33 which is taperedthroughout the greater portion of its length so as to fit snugly within the casing and this plug is provided with a port 34 therethrough which at its entrance end i of the same form and dimensions as the port 31 while at its outlet end it corresponds to the outlet port 32 in form and dimensions thus constituting a venturi passage for the fuel. The construction thus set forth in detail permits a ready flow pf the fuel while at the same time it causes the pressureof the fuel to beincreased' at the point where it enters the valve so that any impurities which may happen to be in the fuel will be carried through the valve and choking of the valve will, consequently be prevented. The constructionalso permits an expansion of the fuel as it passes through the outlet and thereby facilitates its subsequentatomization at the burner. One end of the plug .is extended beyond the end of the casing through a suitable packing gland, indicated at '35, and is equipped with anoperating handle 36 so that'it may be turned to bring the port or venturi passage 34 into proper relation to the ports 31 and 32 and thereby regulate the flow of the fuel. After the plug prowess has been thus set, a set screw 37 mounted in the cap 38 is turned home against the butt end of the plug so as to hold it in the set position and thereby prevent accidental disarrangement of the valve.

Within ,the steam pipe 19, I provide. a regulating valve 39 which may be generally described as checkvalve having its stem 40 projecting through the upper side of the valve casing. Upon the upper side of the valve easing, l secure a bracket orsupporting plate ii and upon one end of said plate I erect a post 42 upon the upper end of which is pivoted one end of a lever 43. stem all) carries yoke lei through which the said lever passes and mounted within the yoke above and below the lever are pulleys l5 which; serve to maintain the lever in proper relation tothe yokeand at the same time accommodate the relative movement of the lever and the yoke without causing excessive wear upon the edges of the lever. The yoke is also preferably pivoted to the upper end'of the stem 40, as indicatedat 46, so that it may follow the pivotal movement of the lever to some extent and thereby avoid binding and bending of the valve stem. The lever is further provided with a plurality of openings 4;? V

in any one of which a counterweight 48 may be suspended and to the end of the lever I attach one end pf a chain49 which passes over guide pulleys 50 to the'coupling head 13 to which it is attached. Upon'that end of the base plate 4-1 remote from the post 42, I secure a second post 51 and in the upper end of said post I mount an adjustable screw The V 52 which is disposed in the vertical plane of the lever 43 and is adapted to be engaged by the said lever and, therefore, serve a stop and rest for the lever so that the closing movement of the valve may be limited as desired. By this means, I am enabled to prevent complete seating of the valve disk 53 so that the flow of steam to the burner will not be absolutely cutoff and a slight supply of steam to the burner will be maintained so that ,anyposs ible dripping of fuel at the burner will be neutralized and explosion, consequently, avoided. This precau tionary arrangement is employed in addition to the burner structure heretofore mencutting off or setting up of the flow of steam are eliminated. f a

Within the fuel pipe 24, I provide a regulating valve '56 which is of the samecon struction as the valve 39 just described and has its stem equipped with a yoke 57 engaged with a lever 58 fulcrumed upon a post'59 rising from the valve casing. The stop'post 51, however, employed in connection with the steam-regulating valve is omitted from the fuelregulating valve. The'lever 58 is equipped with a counterweight 60 and a chain 61 is attached thereto and extends therefrom over guide pulleys 61 to the cou-- pling head 13 to which it is attached. It will thus be seen that the valves 39 and 56 are controlled through the damper and the damper regulator and are automatically ad-v justed to set up or cut-off the flow according to the position of the damper.

The pump 23 is illustrated conventionally only and may be of any preferred form. The. main fuel supply pipe 62 leads into the pumping chamber of the pump and the discharge pipe from said chamber is apart of the oil line 24:, a branch return 2% connecting the discharge with the supply pipe 62. Within the branch return is a safety valve 63 which will automatically open if the pressure in the oil line should'be excessive so that injury to the pump will be avoided and the back pressure will be relievedthrough escape of the oil and return of the same to the inlet pipe 62. is supplied through a branch 64 leading from the branch 18 and communicating with the pump through a pipe 65. The pipe 65 has interposed therein a regulating valve 66 which may be of a well-known balanced valve type and controlled by a conventional flexible diaphragm pressure regulator, indicated at 67. One side of this pressure reg-u lator communicates with a water cushion 68 likewise of conventional design and having a connection. through a pipe 68 with the pump so that the movements of the pressure regulating diaohragm will be cushioned and the diaphragm will be protected from the action of heat, acids, gasesand other deteriorating influences. A by-pass pipe 69 is cons nected at its ends with the pipe 65 above and below the valve 66 and within thesaid bypass pipe I provide regulating valve 70 of the same construction the valves 2?. shown in detail in Fig. 3 and previously described.

- Cut-off valves '71 are provided in the bypass pipe above and below the valve'TOand a cutoff valve 72 is interposed in the pipe 65 above the by-pass. The handle 73 of the valve is equipped with a counterweight 7a and a chain 75 is also attached thereto, said chain passing over guide pulleys '76 to a second weight 77 which is larger than the weight 74; and is slidably mounted in retainers orguides 78 of any convenient form.

' Steam for-driving the pump Upon the lever 58, which is arranged immediately below the said weight 77, I secure a bracket 79. carrying a roller 80 at its upper end adaptedto bear against the lower end of the weight 77 as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 1.

V .The several counterweights are so adjusted that the damper 8 will open somewhat or slightly in advance of the valve 39 and said valve will open slightly in advance of the valve 56 while the valve 7 0 will open only. when the maximum capacity of the pump isneeded. The valves and the damper will obviously close in the reverse order so that asJthe draft through the furnace i11 creases an increased flow of steam and fuel is permitted and the draft will not be cut down to a predetermined minimum until after the flow of fuel and of steam has been cut-off. When the maximum steam pres sure has been reached and is present in the steam dome, the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1. Should the pressure, however,.drop Owing to continued use of the steam, the damper regulator will be actuated so that a downward pull upon the coupling head. 13 will be exerted and the damper 8 will, consequently, be opened more or less, in opposition to the weight 10, it being understood that when the pressure of the steam again rises the regulator 15 is moved in the opposite direction and the counter weight 10 serves to return the damper to closed position, the chain 11 being thereby kept taut at all times. When the coupling head 13'moves downwardly a pull is exerted through the chains 49 and 61, respectively, so that the valves 39 and 56 will be successively opened. As is obvious, the pull upon the chains will lift the levers 43 and 58 in opposition to the weights 4S and 60 and the upward movements of the levers will be transmitted through the respective yokes to the valve stems and an increased flow of steam and fuel, therefore, permitted. Normally, the valve70 is fully closed and the steam to drive the pump is supplied thereto through the pipe 65. If the steam pressure, however, should drop rapidly so that it reachesa very low point, the movement of the lovers 43 and 58will be great enough to fully' open the valves connected therewith and this extendedmovement of the lever 58 will bring the roller 80 against the lower end of the weight 77 and will lift the same so that the chain 75' will be slackened and the handle 73 permitted to swing downwardly under the influence of the weight 7% so that the valve 70 will be opened and the steam will be admitted through the by-pass to the pump, thereby cutting out the regulator 67 and flowing with its full force to the pump unimpeded by the restricting influence of said regulator. I thus effect a step up in the action of the pump so that an increased substantially uniform within reasonable limits automatically. The operation of the controlling'valves will be gradualv and in proportion to the fluctuations in the steam pressure and WllGIlfL-"IlfltXlIIlllIIl flowof fuel is needed, it will be quickly setup throu h the accelerated action of the pump. y permitting a slight flow of'xste'am'to the burners at all times, I eliminate the danger of fuel drips at'the burner tips, due to fuel remaining in the supply linesafter the fuel line has been closed, and I thereby avoid the smoke which follows from lackof atomization, and at the same time I prevent excessive waste of steam due to the blowing of steam into the furnace when the fires are out. The valves 27 are set to meet the peak load fuel requirements and by reason'of the elliptical form of the outlet openings therein present an area which effects concentration of the fuel Without constriction and obviates constant attention notwithstanding fluctuations in the load. A uniform ratio between the steam fuel and draft is maintained while at the same time I provide for a quickstep up in'the fuel pressure when the same is needed. All the parts of my apparatus are accessible so that repairs are facilitated when they are needed and the number of parts or valves are minimized and complicated mechanisms are eliminated. The steam pressure is maintained with a minimum of attendance and the fuel supply is controlled automatically with high draft efficiency and combustion. Excessive blowing or popping of valves witha consequent loss of steam is overcome and an-economy in the use of fuel is effected. Inasmuch as the increase or decrease in theflow of fuel and steam is eflectedgradually the wear upon the furnace and boiler equipment is mini mized so that the cost of upkeep will be slight and the life of the plant is prolonged.

' Iaving thus described the invention, what-is claimed as new is:

1. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a supply line, a valve interposed in said line, a base plate secured upon said valve, a post rising from saidbase plate at one side of the valve stem, a lever pivoted upon said post and opera tively connected with the valve stem, a stop rising from the base plate below said lever a steam supply line, an automatic damper,

regulating valves interposed in thefuel line and the steam line respectively, connections between the damper and said valves whereby the valves will be controlled by the damper, and means for preventing complete closincr of the valve in the steam supply line.

3. Iii an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a fuel supply line, a regulating valve in said line, dampercontrolled means for adjusting said valve, a pump for driving fuel through said supply line,a steam pipe connected with thepump for supplying steam thereto to operate the same, a fuel pressure regulator interposed in said pipe, a by-pass connected withsaid pipe at opposite sides of the said regulator, a controlling valve within said by-pass pipe, and means whereby said valve will be opened when the regulating valve. in the sup'-,

ply pipe is fully opened.

4. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a fuel supply pipe, a regulating valve in said pipe, damper controlled means for. setting said valve including a lever operatively connectedwith the stem of the valve, a pump for forcing fuel through said supply pipe, a steam supply pipe leading into'the pump, a pressure regul'ator interposed in said steam supply pipe, 7

a bypass pipe connected with said steam supply pipe at opposite sides of the regula tor, a normally closed valve in said by-pass pipe, a weighted ha'ndlemember for said valve exterior to the casing thereof, a vertically slidable overbalancing weight, a flexible connection between said weight and said handle member, and means on-the lever con nected with the fuel supply pipe regulating valve to lift said over-balancing weight and permit opening of the valve in the by-pass pipe. 7

In testimonywhereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT H. IRVING. [L s] 

